There are not as many people interested in an adventure MMO as our initial research led us to believe."

In the end, Sanchez says, there simply didn't appear to be a growth opportunity there. "It was doing okay; it would have continued to do okay. But we weren't going to be able to financially support it to create enough content to make it a fabulous game."

I don't know if they assessed their audience correctly. It isn't simply "everyone who liked Myst" because many of those who liked Myst enjoy a solitary game experience. Uru Live and its puzzles that had to be solved by groups of people did not supply that. In fact I get the impression that most of Uru Live's fans enjoyed the social aspect more than they did the adventure game part.

And since it was a new concept, they really had to give it more than a year or two to find its audience. In fact, aside from people I communicate with online, I don't think anyone I know has even heard of Uru Live.

I think you are absolutely right, Jenny. I have quite a few URU friends who don't have all the ages solved. They played the games years ago and are now enjoying helping others and being social. For me, while I enjoyed the gaming aspect, I also loved the "extra" stuff like the Cavern Choir and the karaoke nights.

I agree that more time to work out the kinks and get the word out would have been very helpful.

_________________________Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.

I'm not really very knowledgeable here because I never could get UL to work for me, but I've wondered if maybe the idea of having to have a bunch of people working together on a puzzle was a mistake. I know with UU, it was the social aspect that drew so many people, and it was fun to help someone with a problem, but trying to get a bunch of people (I read something about one puzzle taking eight people, surely that's not correct?) together at one time might be a problem. I know that some of the rpg games do that--my older son was really involved in one of them about four or five years ago, and had a whole group that played together, but they just came and went in the game, there didn't have to be any specific number present at one time.

If I misunderstood what I read about groups of people to solve puzzles, please excuse my ignorance. It still breaks my heart that I wasn't able to join in the fun...

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"Once you give up integrity, the rest is easy." Anonymous

Nope Jenny, you were right. There was one that needed a lot of folks---8 was ideal but you could do it with fewer--but not a whole lot fewer.

Soot and I were able to do one of the ones that required a group by ourselves, but that was only because we sit side by side and communicating with each other was fast and efficient.

Those group puzzles could be really frustrating depending on the group's expertise and to some extent, on lag. One time Soot and I were trying to do it, and one person missed their cue every single time which meant everyone had to do it again.

We finally left and came back later to find a different group. That group got through it on the second or third try.

Online MMORPG's do often require a group to take down a big boss, or at least that is what my WoW son tells me.

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"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." -Roger Caras

I actually like the puzzles that required us to get in groups to help out. In many of the groups I've been in, we've had more than enough people. And I find it fun to feel like I am helping others reach the goals in the game, the same way people helped me when I needed those puzzles. Granted, sometimes you get an inexperienced person leading the event but everyone is very nice and supportive.

But the puzzles that require large groups are not the norm in MOUL. The majority of the puzzles and adventures can be done on your own, if preferred. I did a mixture when solving my ages. Some things I did on my own and some I did with others - both for help and to have some fun together. It's great fun to run around the Cavern with others, especially Boomies.

_________________________Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.

GameTap started out looking like a "family friendly" online gaming portal -- lots of educational games and a significant catalog of adventure titles, with new adventures being added almost every month, plus MOUL and Sam & Max as GameTap Originals.

Then, a few months ago, GameTap revamped their site, started selling games in a new online GameTap shop, and added features that clearly were aimed at the younger, more action-oriented "hardcore" gamer.

Since then, they've pretty much stopped adding new adventures to their catalog, except the kind that can also go into the action category as well. Their game shop (as distinct from the GameTap online portal games) lists only 2 adventure titles -- both Sam & Max.

I wonder if the decision to shutter MOUL also has something to do with this new direction.

MOUL may not have been generating enough industry "buzz." So that, (I'm really guessing here), in addition to not generating the numbers of players GameTap was expecting, MOUL wasn't generating the amount of high profile attention from the general gaming press that GameTap was expecting either.

I think Jenny100 makes an excellent point. Even if I had a fast connection, I would not have joined this online group. I loved, loved, loved the Myst series, but I loved it BECAUSE of the solitary feeling, not in spite of it. And I like doing WHAT I want WHEN I want to do it. In any case, it's a moot point.

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The answer is....chocolate! Who cares what the question is.....

I think what they really meant was....not enough support from the MOUL'ers for the other games GameTap had to offer and not actually for MOUL! To me that seems to make more sense..how can a game not be popular when at times you could not get into an area because filled to capacity???....Mary...i too like the solitary play and this was my first time to do 'group' play at times...and i have mixed feelings...first: did enjoy it when i had to do it...because had the nicest 'boomers from our 'hood help me, seceond: wished there had been a way a single player could have accomplished the puzzle. I also had an issue w/the jumping and a couple of the 'timed' puzzles BUT had i know when i was trying to do them i might have been able to get some help w/them that might have changed my mind on those timed puzzles. I did finally get more comfortable in the game and was able to enjoy the 'chat' ..and now....pffuittt....drat!